Mounting plate for window regulator mechanisms



July 28, 1942.

E. L. ACKERMAN MOUNTINQPLATE FOR A WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANI SM Filed Feb. 8, 1940 IN VENTOR. A a word L. Kale/I770 Patented July 28, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOUNTING PLATE FOR WINDOW REGU- LATOR MECHANISMS Edward L. Ackerman, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Ackerman Blaesser Fezzey,

1110., Detroit,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to window regulators particularly adaptable for use in automobile or other structures wherein it is desired to raise or lower the sash or glass and an object of the invention is to provide a comparatively small and compact unit having a pair of oppositely disposed integral arms and gears meshing one with the other and adapted to be mounted for right or left hand operation and particularly for use in the automobile the regulator is of very thin cross section to enable the regulator to be mounted in the sash recess between the vertical plane of movement of the sash and the inner side Wall of the sash recess.

A further object and feature of the invention is to provide a recessed plate on the outer surface of which the gears and arms are supported, the plate being embossed or ribbed to provide a ring like bearing for each of the gears.

A further object and feature of the invention is to provide a means for adjustably positioning a stop for limiting the downward movement of the arms whereby the upper edge of the glass or sash may be lowered to a desired position in respect to the lower edge of the opening with which the glass is associated.

These and other features and objects of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form of construction and arrangement of the parts of a window regulator embodying my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical elevation showing the inner face of the regulator and the structural arrangement permitting use of an operating clutch in association with either of the gears, whereby the device is suitable for either a right or left hand operation.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

The window regulator is here shown as adapted to be mounted in the sash recess of an automobile body (not here shown) for which purpose it requires to be of minimum thickness due to the narrow width of the recess as required in present day automobile body construction in which case the lower edge of the glass, at least, is provided with a frame element (not here shown) having a way for connection with the regulator arms.

In its preferred form the regulator comprises a sheet metal frame member I which is preferably recessed to a greater depth at the lower part of the base plate than at the upper thus providing for the mounting of the same on the outer face of the inner panel wall of the recess (not here of movement of the glass or sash in the recess. Thus the flange 2 of the plate may lie at an angle to the plane of the plate or otherwise as may be determined by the plane of the inner panel of the sash recess. This permits the base 3 of the plate to be positioned in a vertical plane as shown in Fig. 2.

The plate has two apertures which are formed by piercing the back wall and inturning an edge of the metal, as at 4, about the apertures. The apertures receive the shaft 5 of the gears 6 and i3 on one side of the plate and an enlarged portion I of the shaft may fit against the inturned portion 4 of each plate. The shaft ends within the plate recess are each slotted to receive an inturned end of a coiled spring 8 or 14 which, as is shown in Fig. 1, have the opposite ends hooked over a lug 9 or 9a for the respective springs struck inwardly from the base of the plate.

The gears 13 and 6 are of comparatively thin sheet metal, as will be understood from Fig. 2, each having an integral arm portion Ill and I2 respectively extending outwardly therefrom as shown more particularly in Fig. 1. Each arm is preferably formed with a rib ll provided by stamping a groove in one side of the arm and this rib preferably extends across the pitch line of the respective gear teeth to strengthen the arm at the point of connection with the gear proper. The gear 6 is fixed to the shaft 5 and the gear I3 is likewise fixed to a similar shaft thus rotation of the gears to move the arms downwardly winds the springs I 4 and 8 and in turning the arms upwardly the springs tend to unwind and assist in the raising of the glass. The arm l2 and its gear it are of the same structure as the arm IB and gear 6 but are right and left hand and are so mounted that the respective springs 8 and I l are oppositely disposed.

Thus both springs are wound up on downward movement of the arms and unwind on upward movement. The back portion 3 of the plate has a ring l5 and a similar ring l6 struck out from the plate and the flat sheet metal gears ride on the outer surface of these rings as shown in Fig. 2 and provide a comparatively small bearing surface for the gears thus reducing friction. The bearing means need not be complete rings as other forms of struck out portions of the plate may be utilized.

The gears mesh together as shown clearly in Fig. 1 and a sheet metal strip I1 is secured to the outer face of the base of the plate as by rivets 8 and is practically in contact with the shown) usually lying at an angle to the plane outer faces of the gears at the meshing point,

as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 2, to insure the maintenance of the gears in mesh. The base of the plate is also formed with a struck out portion I9 for each gear tapering at its upper edge and spaced from the outer face of the plate at the lower edge to permit each of the gears to enter the recess formed by respective struck out portions. There are likewise three apertures 2| provided about this struck out portion l9 to receive the base of a clutch housing 22 which clutch is provided with an inwardly extending shaft 23 for connection of an operating handle thereto. This clutch mechanism may be of any desired form, as for instance such as shown in the patent to E. L. Ackerman et al. No. 1,849,902 of March 15, 1932, and the gear on the end of the operating shaft of each clutch mechanism rides in mesh with the gear of the respective arm.

When this device is to be used for right hand operation of the clutch shaft, such clutch is mounted as shown in Fig. 1 for operation of the gear I3 and when the sash operating mechanism is mounted for use with the glass on the opposite side of the automobile body the arms H) and i2 and gears will be reversed in position and the clutch mechanisms positioned for directly operating the gear and arm. Thus, at the opposite side of the plate 3 from that shown in Fig. 1, depending upon the location of the regulator in respect to the user, the clutch mechanism can be mounted so that the handle on the shaft 23 (not here shown) may be in convenient position for access by the user.

The upper end of each of the arms it and I2 are offset as at 24 and a roller 25 is rotatably secured to a shaft 26 which shaft is fixed in the offset end of the arm. The roller is here shown as being spring pressed outwardly of the arm by a coil spring 27 and the roller is intended to ride in a sash way (not here shown) but mounted on the lower edge of the sash as is commonly the case.

By operation of the clutch mechanism and consequent rotation of the gears 5 and I3, the arms may be brought to the upper full line position when the sash is raised, or to either of the positions shown by the dotted lines to lower the sash part way or to the full distance as shown at the lower side of Fig. 1.

The regulator is adapted for use with a glass or sash that may be required to be moved a greater or a less distance from its closed position into the sash recess to bring the upper edge of the glass to a desired position in respect to the lower edge of the opening to be closed by the glass.

For this purpose the plate is provided with a number of apertures 28 arranged in a circle of slightly greater radus than the radius of the gear teeth. A fillister head screw 29 may be inserted in a desired one of these apertures adjacent one of the gears so that the head of the screw 29 is in the path of the arm ll. This arm H has an offset portion 30 which engages the head of the screw 29 thus preventing rotation of the gears beyond their predetermined extent and the same provides an adjustment for the throw of the arms depending upon the distance through which the sash or glass requires to be moved. While the plate, gears, and arms are formed of sheet metal the arms are stiffened by ribs I I and thus strengthen the connection of the arm with the portion of the metal forming the respective gear. The gears are maintained in mesh by the plate I! and the face of the gears is held in contact with the ribs It to further tend to prevent misalignment of the gears and maintaining the same from frictional engagement throughout its surface with the plate.

While I have shown the regulator as having a spring on each of the gear shafts it is to be understood that only one of such springs need be used particularly in such cases where the sash or glass is comparatively light in weight and when the sash is of greater weight a second spring may be utilized. Thus the invention, therefore, is not restricted to use of two springs as shown.

It is further to be observed that the parts are very simple and inexpensive in construction and provide for a ready assembly in place and that the various features and objects of the invention are attained by the structure described and various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A mounting plate for a window regulator mechanism including a pair of arms, a gear on each arm, a shaft for each gear and an operating gear, comprising a recessed sheet metal plate having a peripheral rim for supporting the regulator mechanism in operative relation with a window, said plate having a boss providing a bearing for each gear shaft struck inwardly of the recessed portion of the plate, and further having portions thereof struck outwardly from the bottom of the plate recess to form a pair of recesses having an opening on one side to the exterior of the plate through which the respective arm gear may extend, said last named struck out portions each providing a mounting within which the operating gear may be secured for association thereof with the respective arm gear substantially as described.

2. A mounting plate for a window regulator mechanism including a pair of arms, a gear on each arm, a shaft for each gear and an operating gear, comprising a recessed sheet metal plate having a peripheral rim for supporting the regulator mechanism in operative relation with a window, said plate having portions thereof struck outwardly from the bottom of the plate recess to form a circular rib for support of each gear and further having portions thereof at one side of each rib struck outwardly from the bottom of g the plate recess to provide a pair of recesses both open on one side to permit the respective arm gear to extend thereinto and providing mountings within either of which the operating gear may be secured substantially as and for the purpose described.

EDWARD L. ACKERMAN. 

